Dunfermline Athletic 0, Greenock Morton 5.

It was a bleak afternoon at East End Park as Dunfermline were left out in the cold suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Greenock Morton.

Two goals in the first half and three in the second saw Morton take all the points in an encounter which wasn’t great viewing for the Pars faithful.

Still with a lengthy injury list, Dunfermline boss James McPake had brought deadline day signing Xavier Benjamin straight into the starting line up while Malachi Fagan-Walcott also made his home debut.

Fellow new recruit Brad Holmes started on the bench.

After encountering a fair bit of early pressure, Dunfermline went behind after only eight minutes.

Robbie Crawford got the ball to Robbie Muirhead who fired a cross in which an advancing Darragh O’Connor who fired in the ball from close range.

Minutes later, the Ton were on the attack again but George Oakley placed his effort wide of the post.

The home side had their first real effort near goal just after 20 minutes after some good link up play. Joe Chalmers’ cross found Lewis McCann but his header went wide.

Ten minutes later, Athletic looked dangerous when Denis Mehmet claimed a Lewis Strapp throw in.

He quickly threw the ball out quickly out to Josh Edwards who stormed up the pitch right into the box where he fired in a shot which was blocked and went out for a corner.

Just a minute later, Morton doubled their lead through Jack Baird. The attack came through a lengthy Lewis Strapp throw – which caused numerous headaches for Dunfermline throughout the game.

George Oakley put in the initial header which was saved by Mehmet however Baird was on hand to net the rebound.

Soon after, there were half chances for the Pars. A Lewis McCann free kick went wide while Owen Moffat had a chance just before half time when Ewan Otoo pulled the ball back to him in the box but that went wide of the mark too.

Morton made it three just on the 50 minute mark. Darragh O’Connor got his second of the game when the back came to him after a scramble near the penalty box and he hit past Mehmet.

Pars came close two minutes later when a looping overhead kick from Fagan-Walcott hit the crossbar but they were 4-0 down soon after.

A Cameron Blues cross found Oakley who seemed to put in a header towards goal and Baird was on hand to make sure it had gone over the line.

With 15 minutes to go, it was five through sub Michael Garrity. He got the ball in the box and curled in an effort to increase his side’s lead.

Morton’s keeper was called into action in the closing minutes when he had to palm away a McCann effort while McCann had a headed effort go wide a minute later.

Dunfermline Athletic

Mehmet, Edwards, Hamilton, Otoo, Chalmers (Holmes 57), Wighton (Moffat 26), McCann, Summers, O’Halloran, Benjamin (Allan 57), Fagan-Walcott.

Subs: Little, Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Young, Jake Sutherland.

Greenock Morton

Mullen, Strapp, O’Connor, Baird, Blues (Bearne 78), Muirhead, Crawford (MCGrattan 65), Power (O’Boy 85), Oakley (Garrity 65), French, Wilson (Gillespie 78).

Subs: Murdoch, Waters.

Goals: O’Connor (8, 51), Baird (32, 57), Garrity (75)